Tag: google glass

What Google I/O should bring for Android

CNET’s Marguerite Reardon takes a look at the possible new Android products Google might show off at its annual developer conference this week in San Francisco.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET)

Google’s hotly anticipated annual developer conference will kick off in just a couple days in San Francisco. And conference-goers and Android fans are excited about the possibility of new products the company may announce and/or give away.

But Android fans may be a bit disappointed if their expectation is brand new hardware. While the 2012 Google I/O conference saw the introduction of the new $199 Nexus 7 seven-inch tablet and the Nexus Q streaming media hub, the 2013 conference is likely to feature no brand new Android hardware. Instead, it’s likely that Google will refresh some existing products and possibly provide more details on some of its upcoming Android hardware.

That said, Google is expected to focus a great deal on software. And CNET has high hopes we could see a new version of the Google Android software. Whether it will be an updated version of Jelly Bean or the new Android 5.0 version Key Lime Pie is still unknown.

Here’s a look at what CNET expects to see when the sixth annual Google I/O kicks off on Wednesday.

Nexus 7 update

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)

Word found on the street is the fact that Google is planning to unveil an upgraded Nexus 7 pill. According to KGI Securities analyst Mingchi Kuo, whose report was picked up by the website website 9to5Google, the up-to-date Nexus 7 involves a quicker Qualcomm APQ 8064 processor, a 1,920×1,200 7-inch show with narrower bezel, a 5-megapixel camera, wireless charging, along with a body that’s 7.5mm to 8.5mm thick. The brand-new pill is moreover expected to be lighter than the past adaptation. Google is furthermore expected to keep the same $199 cost for the upgraded pill, according to Kuo. The modern pill can ship inside June or July.

Google has never revealed sales figures for the Nexus 7, but there’s no question that the $199 mini tablet has been a hit. The product has competed well against Apple’s own iPad Mini, which is roughly the same size but costs at least $130 more than the Nexus 7. The upgraded camera and display and overall lighter weight of the upgraded Nexus 7 will put the new mini tablet on par with Apple’s product.

Nexus 4 update

Nexus 4

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Google’s Nexus 4 is the 4th smartphone to receive the Nexus moniker plus to supply the pure Android experience for wireless customers plus programmers. The smartphone, that is surprisingly synonymous to LG’s Optimus G, was just introduced inside late October, whenever Google took the wraps off the newest adaptation of its Android software Jelly Bean Android four.2.

This fact makes it somewhat unlikely that Google would release a completely new device so soon.

But there have been rumors flying around over the past several weeks suggesting that Google will upgrade this device, giving it both more internal storage and faster 4G network access. Google makes the current version of the Nexus 4 with either 8GB or 16GB of internal memory. The phone is meant for a worldwide audience and supports GSM technology. But it does not support 4G LTE. This fact alone has made it a big disappointment to U.S. smartphone consumers.

The updated version is likely to have 32GB of internal storage plus 4G LTE support. The big question will be whether Google is able to maintain its inexpensive pricing for this device. Today the 8GB version of the phone sells for $299, while the 16GB version sells for $349 in the Google Play store.

Motorola X Phone details

One of many concept designs for the rumored X Phone.

(Credit: Rain Tomista)

It’s been almost a year because Google shut its $12.5 billion purchase of handset creator Motorola Mobility. Because then, eager fans have been expecting a fresh Google-built telephone which sports not just homegrown Google Android software however hardware also. There have been rumors of the new so-called Motorola X Phone for months.

It’s hard to know at this point if the supposed X Phone is an extension of Motorola’s previous smartphone products or if it’s been tailored made with Google influence.

While many fans would love to see the X Phone launched at Google I/O, it’s unlikely the product will be announced and given away to developers at the show. That said, there is a chance that Google will give developers more information about the new product. Some of the rumors floating around suggest the device will have a 4.8-inch touch screen and a Snapdragon 800 processor running at 2GHz. Some say the X Phone will be virtually indestructible sporting a hardened case and display that is even tougher than Gorilla Glass.

Heads-on with Google Glass (pictures)

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Google Glass details

CNET’s Scott Stein shows off Google Glass.

Google Glass had its big coming out party at Google I/O last year. And when just a prototype at which time, the wearable Net-connected technologies got Google fans excited.

A year later, Google Glass recently began shipping to early developers and press. Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin has said that pricing and availability of Google Glass will be announced by the end of the year. Perhaps he’ll reveal more details at Google I/O.

Aside from shipping details and pricing, there is still so much to say about Google Glass that it’s very likely Google will use the conference to talk up how exactly people are expected to use Google Glass. As a result, there’s a good chance that Google may reveal some third-party apps that are being developed for Google Glass. Hopefully, we will get to see some cool demos during the big keynote.

Nexus Q upgrade

Nexus Q

(Credit: CNET/Sarah Tew)

The Nexus Q was Google’s big flop of 2012. The streaming media hub was announced a year ago at Google I/O 2012. Priced at $299, the device, that didn’t do much alternative than stream Google Play music plus videos to alternative equipment, was watched because wildly overpriced provided its limited functionality.

Realizing the device wasn’t up to snuff, Google worked to make it up to consumers. Soon after the Q hit the market, Google delayed the product launch and offered a free Nexus Q to customers who pre-ordered the product. At the time, the company said it planned to redesign the Q. Nearly a year later, there has been little if any talk about the Nexus Q. But that doesn’t mean that Google hasn’t been quietly working to refine the product anyway. There’s a chance that a newly-revamped Nexus Q could be unveiled at Google I/O. Perhaps, it may even be bundled with Google TV, another Google product that has been slow to develop.

CNET will be out in full force covering Google I/O. The conference begins Wednesday. So stay tuned for more news.

A New Twist on Googles Glass- Computer Controlled with Your Eyes


(PRWEB) June 30, 2012

Google introduced its wearable computer augmented reality concept Google Glass this week to developers. Videos show ability to record real time video, GPS for directions, weather reports and connection to social media. Now, imagine using only your eyes to control your computer.

BLiNK Eye Tracking Technology was created by Devon Greco in response to his ALS-stricken fathers limitation of interaction with his family. The muscular paralysis of ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease) left his father with only the ability to communicate through eye movement and an $ 18,000 computer. Greco knew there was a better way and using his imagination and electrical engineering background, conjured up a device that would allow millions of people like his father to communicate with, low-cost, hands-free, wireless, eye-tracking technology.

BLiNK will start shipping to customers in time for the 2012 holidays. At just under $ 200, BLiNK is positioned at a price point that is affordable. Since BLiNK was announced, just a few days ago, I have been receiving many e-mails from people who are desperate for a solution like BLiNK. I cant wait to get it into the hands of people who need it; Im really excited about launching BLiNK, says Greco.

BLiNK contains a tiny camera and invisible light that tracks where a persons eyes are looking. A short pause or blink of an eye signals an action that is akin to clicking a mouse or tapping a keyboard. The patent pending design is the first-of-its-kind eye gaze device that is comfortable, lightweight, and can be used with any pair of glasses. Unlike any other eye tracking device, BLiNK is small and portable enough to easily fit in a shirt pocket.

I really enjoyed designing BLiNK. Getting all the systems working together was not easy but the hard work finally paid off. My father kept me inspired and so did the millions of people that I know who can appreciate a better quality of life with BLiNK, Greco says.

BLiNK will soon go live on one of the popular Crowdfunding websites to raise funds needed for initial production. Although BLiNK is useful to every computer user, Greco is most excited with the humanitarian benefits this system will bring to people. While we are excited about the change that BLiNK will bring to the average computer user, the ability to provide this life-changing device to potentially millions impacted by catastrophic injury or disease is what really makes this type of technology worthwhile for me, says Greco.

Communication and Mobility Systems, LLC (CMS) was founded in 2011 and is located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. CMS is committed to leading the advancement of eye tracking technology. The companys first market-based product is BLiNKa hands-free, wireless eye-tracking device for controlling tablets and computers via eye movement. For more information on BLiNK and its launch, please visit at http://www.blinktracker.com







Find More Google Glasses Press Releases

Google Glass – Are These Features Enough To Make Consumers Purchase? By AppsCare, Google Enterprise Premier Partner


UK – (PRWEB UK) 4 July 2012

London: Sergey Brin, Google co-founder revealed that he hopes consumers will be able to purchase their own pair of Google Glass by 2014. The revolutionary technology, currently still in prototype form are poised for deployment as Explorer Editions to developers early 2013 for a staggering $ 1500.

The question is: is this a product consumers actually want, or another unnecessary gimmick to clutter the homes of millions of people? A recent interview with Google insiders; the original project head, Babak Parviz and product manager Steve Lee reveal why and perhaps more importantly how Google Glass will play a crucial role in consumers lives in the future.

The pair disclosed that the current features of Glass include a large amount of storage, a powerful processor and a camera that takes not only photos but videos too. The device will also come with gyroscope, accelerometers and compasses, in addition to a microphone and the more common Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

When asked how people will physically issue a command to the system Parviz replied with, On the side of the device theres a two-dimensional touchpad. We have a button that we typically use for taking pictures. There are microphones in the system, so you could have sound input to the system. Weve experimented with that and weve experimented with gyroscopes and accelerometers and compasses with different types of gesture input. Now, how this is going turn into a consumer product, were still experimenting. Its not entirely finalized yet.

The idea of sharing a first person view of situations is very exciting, not just in extraordinary situations like the parachuting demo but in everyday situations like sharing a shopping experience with a friend to get feedback or advice pre-purchase.

Both Parviz and Lee have been testing the product extensively in their lives, Parviz explains two things he has discovered whilst using Glass. I can communicate with the people I care about through images, so I can capture moments that otherwise I wouldnt capture. I communicate actually a lot more with those people through images and they get the first-person point of view. The other [discovery] involved search. In one of our prototypes I dont know if this will be on the consumer product or not we had search available with an audio input, so you could touch the device and say something, and get the response back. So literally I could touch the device and ask, Whats the capital of China? and the response would just appear in front of my eye. Its a magical moment. You suddenly feel youre a lot more knowledgeable.

Lee commented that as an avid cyclist he was surprised at how unobtrusive and comfortable Google Glass was to wear during a six-hour ride. He noted that he was able to take over 1000 images during the cycle, something that would have been difficult and perhaps un-safe to do so with a hand-held device. Lee then went on to demonstrate a very useful benefit of Glass, I often commute from Google in Mountain View to my home in San Francisco, and I was supposed to meet up with a friend when I arrived. While I was riding, he text-messaged me, and I saw that he was going to be late. I saw that on the display, and that was it. If I didnt have Glass, I wouldve felt the vibration of the phone in my jersey pocket and pulling it out would have been awkward and unsafe. It really made a difference.

It is quite refreshing to know that the average consumer can use this industry-shaking technology in day-to-day activities. There is no need to be a technology specialist or to lead a tech-centred life, Google really are building this into a consumer-friendly device for everyday use. As Lee points out toward the end of the interview, Its my expectation that in three to five years it will actually look unusual and awkward when we view someone holding an object in his or her hand and looking down at it. Wearable computing will become the norm.

With that in mind, will you be purchasing a pair when they launch? Lets just hope Google deliver on their promise to price the device as a consumer affordable, premium product.

AppsCare